javascript capture browser shortcuts (ctrl+t/n/w)

Is it possible to capture these shortcuts?

Ctrl+N
Ctrl+T
Ctrl+W

I tried this but it doesn't work:

$(window).keydown(function(event) {
  console.log(event.keyCode);
  event.preventDefault();
});

When I press T it shows 84 in the console, but if I press Ctrl+T it shows nothing, and opens a new tab.

I would like to capture these shortcuts and prevent any browser action.

Solution

Capturing `Ctrl` keyboard events in Javascript

Sample code:

$(window).keydown(function(event) {
  if(event.ctrlKey && event.keyCode == 84) { 
    console.log("Hey! Ctrl+T event captured!");
    event.preventDefault(); 
  }
  if(event.ctrlKey && event.keyCode == 83) { 
    console.log("Hey! Ctrl+S event captured!");
    event.preventDefault(); 
  }
});

Firefox

_{(6.0.1 tested)}

In Firefox both event listener works. If you press CtrlT or CtrlS keycombinations, you will get both message on the console, and the browser wont open a tab, nor ask for save.

It is intresting that if you use alert instead of console.log the event.preventDefault() not works, and opens a new tab or asks for save. Maybe this bug needs to get fixed.

Chrome3

In Chrome 3 it works like in Firefox.

Chrome4

_(tested)

In Chrome4, certain control key combinations have been reserved for browser usage only and can no longer be intercepted by the client side JavaScript in the web page.
These restrictions did not exist in Chrome3 and are inconsistent with both Firefox3/3.5 and IE7/8 (on Windows).

In Chrome 4 it works similary to Firefox, except some keyboard combination:

CtrlN
CtrlShiftN
CtrlT
CtrlShiftT
CtrlW
CtrlShiftW

These combinations cannot get captured by Javascript, but embed plugins can capture these. For example if you focus in a Youtube video and press CtrlT, the browser won't open a new tab.

IE7/8

It works like in Firefox or Chrome3.

IE9